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Chapter 331: Two Memories
Chapter 331: Two Memories
Karkaroff straightened his body as much as possible, tightly bound to the chair.
“Yes, sir,” he said, his voice trembling with fear, but Sherlock could still detect that familiar oily tone. “I am willing to serve the Ministry of Magic. I am ready to offer my assistance. I know the Ministry is hunting down the Dark Lord's remaining followers, and I am willing to do everything in my power to help.”
Dumbledore and Mad-Eye Moody, who were observing this memory alongside Sherlock, looked at Karkaroff sitting in the center with a sense of reminiscence.
“I remember this was one of the final trials. The important figures had already been sentenced and imprisoned, leaving only the minor players and uncertain cases. Oh, wait, I forgot, a few others were also brought to trial on this day,” Mad-Eye Moody said gravely.
Dumbledore nodded, his eyes fixed on Karkaroff, who was desperately trying to secure his freedom.
“There were many trials that day, but only two are worth our attention.”
As they spoke, the people in the memory remained unaffected.
Sherlock watched the younger Mad-Eye Moody and Dumbledore whispering to each other, just as they had done over a decade ago.
“Karkaroff, you said you know some names,” Crouch said. “Tell us.”
“You must understand,” Karkaroff's eyes darted around the dais, as if hoping to find someone who could speak on his behalf.
But to his disappointment, the two hundred Wizards on the dais all stared at him coldly. He swallowed hard before continuing.
“The Dark Lord always acted very secretly. He wanted us, his followers—though I deeply regret ever being one of them—”
“Enough talk,” the young Mad-Eye Moody sneered.
“—we never knew the names of all the others—only he knew who we all were—”
“Didn’t you say you knew some names?” Crouch frowned.
“I did,” Karkaroff gasped. “They were all important followers. I saw them carrying out his orders. I am providing this information to prove that I have completely severed ties with him and am truly repentant—”
“Names?” Crouch demanded sharply.
Karkaroff took a deep breath.
“There is Antonin Dolohov. I saw him torture countless Muggles and those who did not support the Dark Lord.”
“We have already arrested Dolohov,” Crouch said. “Shortly after your arrest.”
“Is that so?” Karkaroff's eyes widened. “I—I am glad!”
But he didn't look glad. Sherlock could see that this news was a heavy blow; one of the names he had was now useless.
He then provided a few more names of Wizards, clearly valuing the few pieces of leverage he still had to ensure his freedom from Azkaban.
But these individuals had also been captured by the Ministry of Magic, and his information proved useless.
This time, Karkaroff truly panicked, fearing being sent back to that desolate island filled with Dementors.
“Travers! He assisted in the murder of the Mckinnon family! And Mulciber! He specialized in the Imperius Curse, forcing many to do terrible things! Lestrange, he was a spy, providing valuable information to the Dark Lord from within the Ministry of Magic!”
Clearly, he had said something of great value, which caused a tumultuous noise to rise from the stands.
However, Crouch's appetite was apparently insatiable. He stared at Karkaroff as if trying to squeeze out the last bit of worth from him.
"If that's all, it won't completely exonerate you, Karkaroff. You will be sent back to Azkaban until we make a final decision."
"There's also Snape!" Karkaroff shouted, "Severus Snape! I swear he was also a Death Eater!"
Crouch's cold voice shattered Karkaroff's last shred of hope.
"Snape has already been pardoned, personally vouched for by Dumbledore."
As Karkaroff's desperate cries echoed, the Dementors dragged him away once more.
His betrayal seemed to have yielded nothing. Watching Karkaroff being led out, Mad-Eye Moody, standing beside Sherlock, sneered.
"His luck was good. According to the Ministry of Magic's deliberations, they didn't plan to reduce his sentence, as the names he provided, aside from the spy within the Ministry, Lucius Lestrange, were already apprehended by the Aurors."
"But later, Barty considered that giving him a substantial reward could set an example for other captured Death Eaters, encouraging them to betray their comrades. So his sentence was reduced to six months."
As he spoke, the scene around them changed. They were still in the courtroom, but the Wizards around them had clearly been replaced, and the atmosphere was much more relaxed than during Karkaroff's trial.
It didn't seem like a serious trial was taking place, more like a celebrity fan event.
Dumbledore drew his wand, apparently intending to fast-forward through the next few trials since they wouldn't provide any useful information. However, when Sherlock inadvertently glanced at the accused sitting in the iron chair, he suddenly stopped Dumbledore.
"Wait." He stared intently at the famous Quidditch player, who looked much younger than he would be in a few years, "Why is he on trial? Is it also for aiding Voldemort?"
Seeing Sherlock's interest in the upcoming trial, Dumbledore halted his fast-forwarding.
He also looked at the person in the iron chair and said softly,
"You'll understand if you listen."
"Ludo Bagman, you are brought before the Wizengamot to answer charges of Death Eater activities", Crouch said, looking much more weary than during Karkaroff's trial.
"We have heard the testimony against you and are about to pass judgment. Do you have any final words before we pronounce sentence?"
"Just one", Ludo Bagman, a star Quidditch player from years ago, said with an uneasy smile, "Well, I know I'm a fool."
A few Wizards in the audience chuckled indulgently, but Crouch remained unmoved. He looked down at Ludo Bagman with a stern and disdainful expression.
"Ludo Bagman, you were caught passing information to Voldemort's followers", Crouch said, "For this, I recommend that you be sentenced to at least—"
But a chorus of angry shouts erupted from the audience. Several Wizards stood up, shaking their heads at Crouch and even waving their fists, clearly trying to prevent him from passing the sentence.
(End of Chapter)
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